General information on basic education

In addition to Finnish and Swedish, basic education is provided in English, French and German. It is also possible to complete grades 1-6 following a Montessori pedagogical educational programme, or in private Rudolf Steiner school and Tampere Christian school.

All instruction given is based on core curricula. It is up to the
teacher to choose the methods of instruction and studying on the basis
of the core curriculum. The school facilities and classrooms, as well as
the number of pupils in the class, have an impact on the planning and
arrangements of instruction. Large classes can be divided into two
smaller teaching groups, and it is possible to have the help of a school
assistant.

A lesson is not always 45 minutes long and there is
not always a change of subject after a break. The teacher ensures that
each subject is taught for a sufficient number of hours during a school
year.

Instruction, books and other learning materials, tools and
work materials are free of charge in comprehensive school. The pupils
are offered a lunch free of charge on each school day.

The
following subjects are included in the comprehensive school curriculum:
mother tongue and literature, mathematics, a foreign language, the
second national language, religion or ethics, social studies, music,
visual arts, crafts, physical education, home economics and guidance
counselling.

In grades 1-4 there is also instruction in the
environment and nature studies. This subject is divided into biology and
geography in grade 5. Physics and chemistry are taught from grade 5,
and health education starts in grade 7. Schools also offer optional
subjects that are decided either by the school itself or the
municipality.

The foreign languages that are offered in
Finnish-language comprehensive schools are as follows: English, Swedish,
French, German, Spanish, Latin and Russian. The first foreign language
starts predominantly from grade 3. A second language, which is optional,
can be chosen, starting from grade 4.

Pupils who are not members of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church are instructed in ethics instead of religion.

Starting
from grade 3, it is possible to study music or the visual arts with a
special emphasis in the curriculum. Pupils for these music and visual
arts classes are selected by using aptitude tests.

Many of the
comprehensive schools offer various focus areas in their curricula in
grades 7-9. Optional focus areas are offered, among others, in physical
education, communication, information and communication technology
(ICT), mathematics, creative expression, and crafts.

Core Curricula

The national core curriculum is the most important document for school
work. It forms the basis for all instruction and educational work as
well as the development and evaluation of the school.

The core
curriculum supports the teachers in their planning work, instruction and
evaluation. It is also a source of information, for instance, for the
parents or guardians as well as the decision-makers of the municipality.

The
core curriculum is both an administrative and pedagogical document: it
is drawn up to define what and how instruction is given and how the work
is done. There are separate curricula for pre-school education, basic
education, and general upper secondary education.